Marketing budgets may be getting leaner but visitor expectations sure are not. One of the smartest moves a winery can make isn't a bigger spend: it's a shared one. Pooling resources with neighboring wineries doesn't dilute your brand. It amplifies it, elevates your entire area as a destination, and gives visitors a richer experience that keeps them coming back.
At HipMaps we create custom-designed maps with an app that help wineries amplify their marketing, enhance the visitor experience, and easily refer business to each other in a unique and engaging way. Here's how it works: a group of wineries — whether a formal association like Alexander Valley Winegrowers or an informal collection of neighbors — pools together to create one beautiful, branded map featuring all of their locations, in the style and branding that reflects their area.
Hear from HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy, see examples of how Alexander Valley Winegrowers and others are utilizing their HipMap, and watch a short demo of the interactive app that your visitors will love:
The maps are versatile image files that can live on your website, in your email campaigns, on social media, incorporated into advertising and marketing campaigns, or as printed paper maps for guests who prefer them. But the real magic happens with the app.
When visitors arrive in your area, they simply scan a QR code to download the HipMaps app — no account required. They enter an access code unique to your map and instantly have an interactive map showing their real-time location among all the participating wineries. Each winery gets a curated note giving guests that insider scoop that makes a visit feel personal, plus website links and turn-by-turn directions. It's the kind of intuitive, engaging tool that younger visitors especially love.
And it doesn't break the bank: twenty wineries contributing $100 each covers the cost.
The result? Every participating winery gets a fantastic marketing tool — not just for their own tasting room, but for the entire region. You elevate each other.
Want to explore what this could look like for your area? We'd love to connect — schedule a Discovery Call at HipMaps.com
HipMaps and the Direct To Consumer Wine Symposium teamed up to enhance the attendee experience at the upcoming 2026 DTC Wine Symposium in Monterey, California from January 20th to 22nd. The Wine Symposium HipMap features hand-selected local favorites: hot spots and hidden gems recommended by Monterey locals.
Symposium attendees can explore the best of Monterey by downloading the HipMaps app and entering access code DTCWS to see their real-time location on the map, read the inside scoop about each place, learn who is offering discounts to DTC Wine Symposium attendees, access websites, and get directions.
HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy will be onsite in the DTC Wine Symposium tradeshow where attendees can enter to win a free HipMap. Learn more here.
How HipMaps Serves the Wine Industry
HipMaps helps wineries and wine associations in two distinct ways: Custom Vineyard Maps designed for tasting rooms and marketing materials showcase a winery's vineyards, AVAs, terrain and wine story, creating educational experiences with a branded visual that helps visitors better understand and appreciate the importance of location. HipMaps with an Interactive App are perfect for wine associations, groups of winery partners, and multi-location experiences – the custom-branded map comes alive in the HipMaps app, a modern solution that engages all generations. Set up a Discovery Call to brainstorm with Rachel on how HipMaps can best help!
HipMaps and Alexander Valley Winegrowers (AVWG) have collaborated to bring AVWG's 40-year legacy to life through a custom-designed HipMap and interactive app experience!
A Community Built on Family and Tradition
Located in northeastern Sonoma County just north of Healdsburg, California, the Alexander Valley is home to 33 wineries and 77 winegrowers, many of them family operations with generations of history in the valley. It's a community where tradition, collaboration, and world-class winemaking go hand in hand. The Alexander Valley AVA (American Viticultural Area) is celebrating its 40th anniversary, and HipMaps provides a modern tool that helps visitors truly experience and understand this magnificent valley.
The AVWG HipMap showcases the valley's diverse terrain, from vineyards on the valley floor along the beautiful Russian River to those nestled in the Mayacama Mountains. The interactive app lets visitors see their real-time location on the custom-branded map, learn about each member winery through curated descriptions, access website links for current information, and get turn-by-turn directions as they explore.
The AVWG HipMap serves both first-time visitors trying to understand the geography of this 25-mile-long valley and returning enthusiasts planning their route between favorite family wineries. The HipMap is also utilized in AVWG's marketing and advertising efforts, making it easy for member wineries to refer customers to each other.
Learn more about upcoming events, including TASTE Alexander Valley in April 2026, at AlexanderValley.org
How HipMaps Serves the Wine Industry
HipMaps helps wineries and wine associations in two distinct ways:
Custom Vineyard Maps: Designed for tasting rooms and marketing materials, these maps showcase a winery's vineyards, AVAs, terrain and wine story, creating educational experiences with a branded visual that helps visitors better understand and appreciate the importance of location.
HipMaps with Interactive App: Like the AVWG HipMap, perfect for wine associations, groups of winery partners, and multi-location experiences. The custom-branded map comes alive in the HipMaps app, a modern solution that engages all generations!
Learn more and schedule a chat at HipMaps.com
Tasting room guests aren't looking for just a pour – they're craving understanding and a deeper connection to your brand. Your guests want to know why your Pinot Noir vineyard is in a completely different location than your Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard. They want to grasp the unique ways that hills, valleys, and ocean proximity create the perfect conditions for each of your wines. Your tasting room team members can explain these reasons but without a visual aid guests struggle to truly envision and understand the multiple factors that differentiate each of your wines.
The Missing Visual Link
When your visitor has trouble picturing the reasons why location matters for your wines – especially out-of-town visitors - a custom-designed and branded map of your vineyards provides the visual connection they're missing. Your map becomes a powerful educational tool that works 24/7 – showcasing your vineyards in the various AVAs or highlighting blocks on your Estate. A vineyard map is able to illustrate the sense of place which makes your wines unique while also visually telling the story of your brand.
For example, the Winery Sixteen 600 map of vineyards (below) focuses on the hills and valleys of their Sonoma-area vineyards, highlights the AVAs where their vineyards are located, and includes the varietals grown at each vineyard. This map is designed in their branding and style, and printed on the back are details about each of their current releases for use in the tasting room and wine club shipments.
More Than Decoration
A well-designed vineyard map isn't just wall art – it's a visual storytelling tool that:
- Helps visitors understand why certain varietals thrive in specific locations.
- Gives your team members the visual they need to bring your story to life.
- Creates memorable "aha moments" about your wines.
- Makes wine more accessible and less intimidating for newer wine enthusiasts.
- Strengthens customer connections through deeper appreciation and understanding.
A Marketing Workhorse
Your custom vineyard map – designed using your style and branding – can be used in multiple ways: in your tasting room, during virtual tastings, on your website and social media, in email marketing campaigns, in wine club shipments, incorporated into marketing materials, by your sales reps, and printed on merchandise. A vineyard map is much more than a map; it's a versatile marketing asset that deepens customer understanding and strengthens your brand.
Let's Chat!
Every vineyard map that HipMaps creates starts as a blank slate, custom-designed to showcase the elements that make YOUR wines special, using your unique style and branding. Head to HipMaps.com and set up a Discovery Call - let's brainstorm the ways a custom-designed vineyard map will profoundly and memorably enhance your guests' experience!
We're making it easier than ever for winery associations, informal groups of wineries and winery partners to collaborate on a sophisticated marketing tool that works 24/7 for years to come! Our Harvest Special offers the best value we've ever provided so maximize your marketing budget with a collaborative HipMap!
What You Get With Our Harvest Special
✓ 10% discount - Custom HipMap is normally $1,999, now $1,799.
✓ Unlimited app uses for the entire first year (normally $100 to $1,000 extra).
✓ Flexible timeline – purchase before October 1st but start designing when you're ready.
When shared among 20 participating wineries, that breaks down to just $90 per winery in year one with no additional charges.
See It In Action
Want to see exactly what your $90 investment creates? Watch this 3.5-minute video as HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy shares examples of HipMaps designs and demonstrates the features of HipMaps interactive app that the younger generations especially love. See an example of an AVA Association HipMap at Heart of Willamette Wineries website!
Why Groups Love This Deal
Savvy AVA Associations and informal groups of wine partners know that pooling marketing resources creates bigger impact than going solo. Collaborate for a professional marketing tool that works around the clock - referring business between members, educating visitors about your region, and creating memorable experiences that keep people talking.
The interactive app shows visitors exactly where they are on your custom map, provides your curated insights about each winery, and offers direct links to websites and directions. Perfect for engaging both tech-savvy millennials and traditional wine lovers who prefer printed materials.
Limited Time Only
This special pricing ends October 1st, 2025. You just need to secure the special rate by then – we can start your design after harvest, next year or whenever your group is ready!
Ready to give your winery association or group the marketing boost it deserves? Connect with us at HipMaps.com before October 1st!
Picture this: 20 wineries each contribute $100 and collectively receive a sophisticated marketing tool that works 24/7 for years to come, referring business to each other, marketing their area, and creating memorable experiences for visitors. With HipMaps' Harvest Special it's even easier for groups of winery partners like yours to maximize your marketing budget with a collaborative HipMap!
The Math That Makes Sense
With HipMaps' Harvest Special*, your group receives a 10% discount on a custom HipMap, bringing the normal $1,999 price down to $1,799. AND you receive unlimited HipMaps app uses for the first year! When shared among 20 participating wineries, that breaks down to just $90 per winery in year one with no additional charges.
After the first year, HipMaps app hosting ranges from $100 to $1,000 annually depending on usage, meaning each of your 20 wineries would contribute between $5 and $50 per year for ongoing hosting – still less than most wineries spend on a single advertisement!
Of course, the more you invite to participate in your HipMap the lower the cost for each participating business. You could invite restaurants or wine shops that carry local wine, or other partner businesses.
See It In Action
Want to see exactly what your $90 investment creates? Watch this 3.5-minute video as HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy shares examples of HipMaps designs and demonstrates the features of HipMaps interactive app.
Printable, Digital and In The App
Each participating winery in your group receives the professionally designed, custom-branded HipMap that works both as a printed piece for your tasting rooms and as an interactive experience through the HipMaps app. Your visitors see their real-time location on your branded HipMap, read personalized comments about each winery, access website links, and get turn-by-turn directions – all while staying connected to your group's collective brand.
The HipMap image can be used on all of your websites, social media, and email marketing campaigns as well as in regional marketing materials. It makes the younger generations especially happy with the interactive app, and it can be printed for those who prefer paper maps – making it a perfect addition to a wine club shipment.
Beyond the Numbers
What makes this investment particularly smart is how it transforms your individual marketing efforts into collective strength. Instead of your group of 20 or 30 wineries each spending your marketing budgets in isolation, you're pooling resources to create something more impactful than any single winery could achieve alone. The result? A professional and unique tool that elevates your entire region's visitor experience while building genuine partnerships between neighboring wineries and the community.
Whether you are a formal winery association or an informal group, or you are wineries and businesses within the same ownership family, this collaborative approach creates wins that extend far beyond the modest financial investment. Ready to collaborate and create something impactful? Connect with us at HipMaps.com and let's chat about how we can best help your group reach new heights!
*Our Harvest Special ends on October 1, 2025. Your HipMap must be purchased by October 1st - but there is no deadline to start the design.
When wine, community, and celebration come together, magic happens! For the fourth consecutive year, HipMaps has had the honor of partnering with Out In The Vineyard to design a custom HipMap for Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma Wine Country.
A Weekend Worth Mapping
Gay Wine Weekend (July 18-20) brings together the LGBTQ+ community for an incredible celebration across the Russian River Valley and Healdsburg. From winemaker dinners and vineyard tours to a twilight T-Dance and drag queen brunch benefit auction, this weekend packs amazing experiences across multiple locations.
Why Multi-Venue Events Need More Than a Schedule
With so many venues, activities, and timing considerations, attendees need more than just a schedule – they need a visual guide that helps them navigate seamlessly between experiences. The Gay Wine Weekend custom-branded map allows attendees to use the HipMaps interactive app where they:
- See their real-time location right on the Gay Wine Weekend HipMap so they never get lost.
- Read curated event details and insider tips about each location.
- Utilize website links for last-minute information.
- Access turn-by-turn directions to ensure everyone arrives at the right place at the right time.
The Power of Connection
Gary and the Out In The Vineyard team understand that great events are about connection – between people, places, and experiences. By providing attendees with a beautiful, functional tool – branded to reflect the weekend's celebratory spirit - that guides them through their weekend, they're removing barriers and creating space for what matters most: community and celebration. Learn more about attending Gay Wine Weekend here!
Planning an event?
Whether you're organizing a wine club celebration, multi-winery progressive event, or regional wine festival, a custom HipMap ensures your guests focus on enjoying the experience rather than worrying about logistics. Let's brainstorm how we can enhance your guests' experience and ensure your event runs smoothly: head to HipMaps.com to set up a Discovery Call and let’s chat!
The wine industry is made stronger with collaboration, and we love seeing how winery associations – both formal and informal - support each other to create wins for everyone. From a collection of Oregon's Yamhill-Carlton AVA members referring business to each other to Sonoma Valley’s family-owned Little Vineyards sending tasters deeper into their community, we're designing custom HipMaps that showcase how winery partnerships can elevate the entire visitor experience.
A True Community Effort
When groups of wineries use HipMaps to refer business to each other, each participating winery displays their custom branded and styled HipMap prominently in their tasting room, making it very easy for guests to discover other wineries to visit. Visitors simply scan the QR code on the map, download our user-friendly app, and enter an access code specific to that map. Then…
Our Interactive App Makes This Map Experience Special
When guests open the HipMaps app they see their real-time location on the custom map – making it very easy to plan their stay and get to know the region better! In Yamhill-Carlton, each participating winery crafted personalized comments about their winery, sharing tidbits about what makes each stop unique. Whether it's highlighting a winery's stunning view, their specialty varietals, or their dog-friendly patio, these curated recommendations strengthen the connection between visitor and host.
Seamless Planning & Navigation
Guests can easily see where they are in relation to the recommendations on the map, helping them plan their day more effectively and extend their stay in the region. At Little Vineyards, tasting room customers are given an Estate vineyards block map to follow along during their tasting, and on the flip side is Little Vineyards’ HipMap full of personalized recommendations. Their HipMap highlights other wineries they recommend and partner with, their favorite area restaurants and shops, and even spotlights great hiking trails. With direct website links and turn-by-turn directions built right into the app, there are no barriers between interest and action.
The Power of Collaboration
By blending hospitality with technology, forward-thinking organizations are creating something more valuable than any individual marketing effort could achieve. They're not just referring business to each other – they're creating unforgettable experiences that keep visitors coming back and talking about the region as a whole.
Ready to strengthen your winery community? Whether you're part of an AVA association, informal partnership, or ownership group, a HipMap can help you showcase the best of your region while driving longer stays and cross-promotions. Let's brainstorm how we can best help your group create these community wins! Head to HipMaps.com and set up a time for us to brainstorm.
Connect with HipMaps at the Wine Sales Symposium in Santa Rosa on May 14, 2025. Learn about our two innovative mapping solutions specifically designed for wineries seeking to enhance visitor engagement and brand storytelling.
First, custom-designed vineyard maps transform standard tastings into educational, immersive journeys by showcasing unique terroir, AVAs, and wine narratives - elevating brands rather than simply mapping them.
Second, HipMaps, including our interactive app, showcases the best of your region - partner with local wineries and businesses and offer personalized recommendations. Blend your hospitality with our tech to create unforgettable experiences!
These custom-styled visualizations elevate tasting rooms, marketing materials, AVA associations, and collaborative winery partnerships with sophisticated, branded experiences for guests.
Wine Sales Symposium attendees who visit the HipMaps booth will learn how these award-winning mapping solutions boost engagement and sales, and can enter to win a free HipMap and receive a show discount. Hope to see you there!
HipMaps Founder Rachel LeRoy had a great time on TheWineProPodcast with Christine Fife and Bronwen Hanes of Selling Wine Strategies – have a listen as we talk wine tasting, how maps help wineries bring their brand story to life & enhance wine tastings, swap some stories, and share laughs!
https://www.sellingwinestrategies.com/podcast